Review

Review Summary: Revisiting the past without simply re-hashing it, Blaspherian combine old school death metal influences into a new spirit. The result creates a foreboding atmosphere of a cavernous descent into evil, disciplining the chaos of old school death metal and gi

Revisiting the past without simply re-hashing it, Blaspherian wrap old school death metal influences around a new spirit. Where older death metal was chaotic, Blaspherian seeks to create an atmosphere of primitive but deliberate, brooding and subversive evil.

Detuned riffs thunder through each song in uniquely "death metal" song structures, in which the progression of riffs defines the passage of the song, and lyrics sort of hop around trying to catch up. Main songwriter Wes Weaver, previously of Imprecation, likes to knit together riffs in such a way that each successive riff either elaborates on the previous theme or provides dramatic contrast. The result is like a cavernous journey through the bowels of the earth in search of unspeakable evil.

Influenced by a wide range of old school bands in both the USA and Europe such as Obituary, Incantation, Deicide, Immolation and Asphyx, this Texas band create a style of rhythmic death metal with overtones of doom. Percussion takes a central role, clearly borrowing influences from early Incantation, matching a vocal performance that seems inspired by the first two Immolation records. In the foreground Weaver's bassy guitar churns a constant roar that blots out all else, using simple riffs together to make a foreboding atmosphere. There are no guitar solos which increases the feeling of detachment.

"Infernal Warriors of Death" is detached, inhuman, and massively evil. While it pays tribute to the past, it does so with its own voice, and so does not fall under the heading of the clones of yesteryear that are now popular. Instead, it treats death metal like a timeless and universal voice, and through it finds a voice of its own.